mesbooks Chapter 94 Thief
Chapter 94 Thief
Liu Shan was preoccupied with his own thoughts and naturally had no interest in watching the spectacle. However, to save face for Zhang Tienan, he still stood and watched for a while.
It was truly a terrible sight; the thorns had pierced the skin on his back, and trickles of blood meandered down his spine, staining his waistband red.
However, Zhao Tingxiao was quite a man; at least he didn't cry.
The only drawback is that we can't see Zhao Tingxiao's face or his eyes, so we can't guess his true state of mind at this moment.
In fact, Zhao Tingxiao deliberately lowered his head, not wanting anyone to see his eyes and expression, so as not to let people see his true thoughts.
After only a few glances, Liu Shan lost interest and instead looked up at the sparrows hopping about in the treetops. The sparrows were happily pecking at the tender buds on the branches, seemingly completely uninterested in the commotion in the courtyard.
Zhang Tienan noticed that Liu Shan's mind was elsewhere, so he quietly suggested, "Brother Liu, why don't we go to 'Bei Mo Ting' for a few drinks?"
Liu Shan nodded in agreement, but his mind was still preoccupied with Liu Xinian's matter.
As the two entered the restaurant, the aroma of wine immediately filled the air.
As dinner time approached, the restaurant was already full of guests and brightly lit.
To enhance the restaurant's competitiveness, Zhang Tienan specially arranged for a musician to provide entertainment.
The melodious sound of the piano echoed in the air, adding a touch of elegance to the restaurant.
Zhang Tienan wanted to go to the private room that had been reserved for Liu Shan, but Liu Shan casually found a corner to sit down, his gaze drifting out the window.
Upon seeing this, the waiter hurriedly stepped forward and greeted them warmly: "Manager, would you and your distinguished guest like to have a meal or a drink?"
Zhang Tienan asked, "Brother Liu, why don't we order a few of your signature dishes first, and chat while we eat?"
Liu Shan came to his senses and said softly, "Alright, bring a pot of 'Sanxiang Wine' and a few of your signature dishes."
The waiter had only been there a few days and didn't know Liu Shan yet, so he turned his attention to Zhang Tienan. Seeing Zhang nod, he quickly went to prepare the wine and dishes.
When the food and wine were served, Liu Shan picked up his wine glass, but sighed before even drinking.
"Brother Liu, what's troubling you so much?" Zhang Tienan asked with concern.
Liu Shan smiled wryly, took a sip of wine, and briefly recounted Liu Xinian's story.
Of course, not a single word of the unmentionable secrets of officialdom was left out.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tienan frowned; the matter was indeed thorny.
Putting aside everything else, his father, Zhang San, had been out of officialdom for many years. Although he still had some connections, the remaining affection was definitely not enough to shake the jade carving of pine and crane that was more than half a person tall.
To put it bluntly, even if you sold the Zhang family mansion and Zhang San's father together, you still couldn't afford half a jade carving.
Zhang Tienan's worried look made Liu Shan sigh. The main reason he didn't want to talk about his troubles was that he didn't want his neighbor to worry about him.
He took a sip of his wine and looked out the window. Night was falling, the streetlights were coming on, and it was a beautiful and prosperous scene.
However, Liu Shan knew that what he saw was just the surface; in places unseen by the eye, the darker side of human nature was happening every moment.
It could be a beggar huddled up and shivering, or the faint sobs coming from the depths of an alley, or even a thief under the dim yellow lanterns on the street...
No matter the dynasty, petty thieves and scoundrels were always impossible to eradicate.
Even in modern times with strict laws, it is difficult to eradicate these deep-rooted problems.
Liu Shanzheng observed the activity on the street with great interest.
The thief was young, dressed plainly, and had an ordinary appearance; he was the kind of person who would be completely inconspicuous in a crowd.
However, it is precisely these ordinary-looking people who are most likely to hide their crimes after they have succeeded.
The thief skillfully approached a hurried merchant and swiftly pulled a money pouch from the merchant's pocket. The merchant was so quick that he didn't notice and continued on his way.
After successfully stealing the item, the thief quickly disappeared into the dark alley, a smug smile on his lips.
A moment later, the thief reappeared at the east end of the street, found a new prey, and, as nimble as ever, easily succeeded.
In just 15 minutes, the thief stole four money pouches, his precision astonishing.
Liu Shan sighed inwardly. If such skills were used for the right purpose, how could he not make a living? Unfortunately, he chose the wrong path, and it was difficult to last long.
However, he had no intention of meddling in other people's business. After all, in this world, who can truly save whom?
Perhaps having stolen enough silver, the thief brazenly walked into "Bei Mo Ting".
The waiter at the restaurant was a diligent young man. Seeing a customer enter, he immediately went up to him and greeted him warmly, "Sir, what would you like to order? Would you like a meal or a drink?"
The thief went straight to the corner, picked up the menu, and pointed to a few dishes: "This, this, this, and this one too."
The waiter bowed and scraped, quickly noting down the order. "Sir, you've ordered four dishes. Please wait a moment..."
The thief casually interrupted, "Bring all the dishes except these four, and a pot of our signature wine, warm."
The waiter paused for a moment, then kindly reminded him, "Sir, are you sure you can finish all this food by yourself? You can order a few dishes first, and then add more if needed."
The thief chuckled and slammed a wad of silver notes on the table: "Afraid I can't finish it? Or afraid I can't afford it? Don't worry, I have plenty of silver. Hurry up and get it ready!"
Seeing this, the waiter quickly smiled apologetically and said, "I was being nosy, sir. Please wait a moment, it will be right away."
After saying that, the waiter turned around and hurriedly went to prepare the dishes.
Taking advantage of the brief lull in the food being served, the thief looked around, his eyes scanning each diner as if searching for his next prey.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a wealthy merchant dressed in fine clothes. Looking at the merchant's bulging belly and the jade pendant at his waist, a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.
At this moment, the waiter came over with a tray and a smile, "Sir, this is the wine you ordered, our signature Dukang wine, please enjoy it."
The thief filled his glass, took a small sip, and his eyes lit up. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Good wine!"
After a few rounds of drinks, the thief, his eyes glazed, grabbed the waiter's arm and asked, "Waiter, where's the outhouse?"
The waiter pointed to the backyard: "Sir, just turn left after you go out the back door."
The thief staggered to his feet and walked towards the backyard.
Not long after, the thief staggered back.
As he passed the wealthy merchant, he deliberately bumped into the waiter and took the opportunity to reach for the merchant's waist...
He moved with lightning speed, and before the waiter and the wealthy merchant could notice, the jade pendant and the money pouch were already in his hands.
The thief smirked slightly, returned to his seat as if nothing had happened, continued sipping his wine, and looked for his next prey.
Liu Shan's lips unconsciously curled upwards.
He originally didn't intend to make things difficult for the thief, since what happened on the street was none of his business.
But this thief should never have stolen from "Bei Mo Ting".
You see, "Bei Mo Ting" is one of his cash cows. If this thief ruins his reputation and destroys his business, his losses will be enormous.